Shape-shifting 'Breathing Chair' looks to make the beanbag fashionable
By Donald Melanson 
posted Oct 27th 2009 3:49PM
posted Oct 27th 2009 3:49PM
Shape-shifting chairs may not always be the most attractive additions to your living room, but Taiwanese designer Yu-Ying Wu is hoping to change that with her so-called "Breathing Chair," which has already won a few prestigious design awards but hasn't yet snagged any commercial partners. The secret, such as it is, is the array of "professionally calculated" holes spaced out through the three layers of foam plastic, which are designed to compress into the shape of an armchair when someone sits in it and spring back into a cube when they stand up. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any video of it in action, but the chair will soon be on display at Red Dot Design Museum in Singapore if you happen to be in the area.
Update: Thanks to commenter Deny for digging up a video of the chair. Check it out after the break.
[Via MAKE]
Update: Thanks to commenter Deny for digging up a video of the chair. Check it out after the break.
[Via MAKE]
How would it hold up to American fat?
I think the Labyrinth was filmed inside that thing.
Imagine the farts echoing inside, like a train crossing a city!
echoing is the least of your problem. fart in that thing. it gets trapped walk back over and plop in it later and your whole world ends.
how would it hold up to grime?
Pooofffff! You've just disappeared!
Why would one want this? I have chairs shaped like chairs right now - seem to work and look just fine!
They should call this one "Bacteriaville"
Chair-shaped chairs are so last year.
I...want that.
Wow. So many coins and crumbs will be lost inside.
As far as the crumbs go, I don't think this chair is going to marketed to slobs. Civilized people eat at a table.
LOL I was thinking the same thing. Talk about a dust magnet!
Regards,
Dan
Then why is there dozens of cup holders already built into the chair?
"Honey, where are my keys??"
"Weren't you sitting in your fancy $3000 dollars chair last night?"
"Oh dear..."
@Steve
Voted down for being a douchbag.
@Steve: Voted up for speaking your mind and making me laugh :-)
Professionally calculated breathing chair: pricey!
Professionally calculated ass shape: priceless!
No wonder nobody wants to make these!
I'd like to see an old fat man try to get out of that. If it's anything like a beanbag chair, it'll take atleast 5mins and be hilarious.
oh, i just pictured that and laughed out loud
I expect to see it on youtube in the coming months.
It seems like until you sit on it, you have to be pretty tall to get your butt to the top part to bring it down to size!
Naw man, put one of those mini-trampolines in front of it. *PYOIIING* HyaaaaAAA*plop*
what's sad is. you sit on any block of foam and it does exactly what this does...
As much as I like ur joke, The girl in the video says otherwise.
She designed the holes so when u shift ur pivot when u sit in the chair it helps u either lay back or stand back up.
And she said the initial idea was to help with her grandpa's arthritis cause his knees suffer a lot of pressure when he gets up from regular chairs...hence the design of the holes to maximize the support from the chair.
Beanbags aren't fashionable?!... *cries*
I already have a few regular chairs that are surrounded by "professionally calculated" air molecules that get out of the way when I sit down and fill the void when I get back up. I see no need for this new chair.
That... doesn't look like a cube to me.
Tho it's definitely nicer looking than the old duct tape covered beanbag I had in middle/high school. heh.
Actually there is video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWIRWZ9hos
Although I am sure the foam starts to break easily and gets all over your clothes.
It doesn't look like a soft landing at all. Also, the foam looks like it is already breaking down and staying in the shape of *gasp* a chair. It looks to me like sitting for any length of time would be woefully uncomfortable. Besides, could you imagine sitting naked in the chair; when you get up, instead of cottage cheese, your flab has become Swiss cheese.
I like how they are interviewing her with all the mic around her head, as if she saved a billion asses in an instant.
Listening to the video, the designer is saying that besides being able to sit in the chair in any orientation you want and being form-fitting, the chair was designed with elders in mind. The chair helps them get up as it tries to maintain it's original shape, providing the push needed to stand up.
LOL I was think the same thing. Talk about a dust magnet!
SPIDERMAN WILL BE IN LOVE WITH THIS CHAIR....
inhale my fart chair !
Do want...
I think this is a great idea and design. There are many types of comercially available foam materials that do not crumble or breakdown easily too. With these in the right colors, mass-produced cheaply, I can see them becoming very popular...
Looks terrible when nobody's in it, looks even worse when somebody is... but as ugly as it is, it looks even more uncomfortable! The perfect chair! Why didn't I think of this?
Great idea:
Weekdays - Study Desk
Weekend - Party Chair
All the Time - Air Freshener
Where is "Signapore?" I kid, I kid.
You could drill holes in it and "experiment".
That would seriously weird out cats. They'd try to get on it and it would warp and grab them with the "voids". The cats would freak out and shred it.
Would weird them out for sure, but it doesn't look like a cat would weigh enough to make it sink down.
The pictures look better than the actual chair. It looks uncomfortable and smelly.
This thing may just cure cellulite, or at least give my cats a place to put their kills. Rename it the LoveSpongeChair and pervs all over will flock (?) to it. I hope it's hose washable.
Think of all the smells that will start to collect and "poof" out after use.
I wonder what happens when your dog sees it... they already trash furniture imagine this one...
looks like tripe. i'm gonna vom.
Just needs a 70's era plastic dust cover and it's good to go!
wow,,
It's like a bad set piece out of Star Trek: The Next Generation !
Is it teh ugly, or is it the FUTURE? :)